Hobbyhorse



March 15, 1949.

Filed Nov. 21, 1945 Inventor ROBERT H.LA EOLLETTE Attorneys March 15, 1949.

Filed Nov. 21, 1945 R. H. LA FOLLETTE 2,464,694

HOBBYHORSE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor ROBERT H. LA FOLLETTE a 93 O Attorneys March 15, 1949. LA FQLLETTE 2,464,694

HOBBYHORSE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor ROBERT H. LA FOLLETTE Filed Nov. 21, 1945 Patented Mar.15,'1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOBBYHORSE Robert H. La Follctte, Albuquerdue, N. Mex.

Application November 21, 1945, Serial No. 629,936 Claims ('01. 272-52) This invention relates to a hobby horse, and has for its primary object to provide for the entertainment and amusement of children.

Another object of the invention is to simulate the appearance of a real horse and at the same time provide for amusement and entertainment of children of varying ages.

The above and otherobjects may be attained by employing this invention, which embodies among its features a body part comprising forward and rear legs supporting at their upper ends spaced parallel side rails, means for adjustably supporting a teeter board intermediate the ends of the side rails, yielding means adjacent the forward end of the body part for holding the teeter board inclined with relation to the horizontal, so that its upper end is to the rear of the body part, a head pivoted between the side rails at the forward end of the body part and means connecting the forward end of the teeter board with the head to cause the head to bob as the teeter board moves about its pivot.

Other features include a flexible cover simulating the appearance of a horse enshrouding the body part, a tail fixed to the rear end of the teeter board, and bells, rattles, or the like, secured to the underside of the teeter board adjacent opposite ends.

In'the drawings- Figure 1 is a side view in elevationof a hobby horse embodying the featuresof this invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the hobby horse shown in Figure 1 with the flexible cover removed,

Figure 3 is a front end view of Figure 2, I

Figure 4 is a rear end view of Figure 2 showing portions broken away to more clearly illustrate the details of construction,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 isa bottom plan view of the teeter board,

Figure 7 is a side view of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is an end view of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the body part of the horse is designated generally l0 and comprises front legs I I supporting, adjacent their upper ends, side rails l2, the rear'ends of which are attached tov legs H which are somewhat shorter than th legs I I so that the side rails will incline downwardly from their forward ends to the rear ends. Extending transversely between the rear legs l3 immediately below the lower edges of the side rails I2 is a cross brace ll which serves to hold the side rails l2 in spaced relation at their rear ends. A transversely extending pivot bar l5 extends through the legs ll adjacent their upper ends and through the side rails l2 adjacent their forward ends, and this pivot bar is provided with spacers l6 which serve to hold the forward ends of the side rails [2 in spaced relation for a distance equal to the space between the rear ends of the side rails [2 so that the rails extend throughout the entire length of the body part ill in spaced, parallel relation. I

Formed in the side rails 12 intermediate their ends are spaced openings H, the purpose of which will more fully hereinafter appear. Secured to the lower edges of the side rails I12 intermediate the openings l1 and the legs I3 is a transversely extending cross brace N} which serves not only as a reinforcement for the side rails l2, but also project laterally from opposite sides thereof, as at I!) (Figure 2) to provide foot rests for the feet of the occupant of the hobby horse.

Pivotally mounted on the pivot bar 15 between the inner ends of the spacers I6 is a head 26 which is preferably shaped to represent the head and neck of a horse, and pivotally secured, as at 2i, to the neck near its inner end, is a link 22 for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter explained.

A teeter board 23 has secured to its under side intermediate its ends a plurality of spaced sleeves 24 which are arranged to align with the openings 11 when the teeter board is in proper position between the side rails I! of the body part II). A pivot bolt 25 is adapted to be passed through aligning openings l1 and through the sleeves 24 which align with the openings H in which th bolt 25 enters in order to pivotally support the teeter board between the side rails l2, as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 5. Secured to the under side of the teeter board adjacent its forward end is a suitable eye 26 to which the upper end of an inverted U-shaped yoke2'l is attached. The ends of the arms of the yoke 21 are upturned to provide hooks 28 to which the upper ends of retractile coil springs 29 are adapted to be secured. The lower ends of the coil springs are connected, as at 30, near the lower ends of the legs H so that the forward end of the teeter board 23 will be yieldingly held below the level of the rear end thereof. An eye 3| is attached to the upper side entire body part II is preferably enshrouded with a flexible cover 33, the exterior of which is preferably colored and otherwise decorated to simulate a natural horse. Bells II or similar noiseaeocoee making equipmentmay be attached to the under side of the teeter board 23 so that as it rocks about its pivot 29, appropriate and entertaining noises may be produced.

The operation of the device is more or less obvious as a child seated upon the teeter board 23 near the upper rear end thereof will tend to stretch the spring 29 and by placing his feet upon the extensions 19 he can, by manipulation of the knees, cause the board 23 to rock around its pivot 25 against the tension of the spring 29. Such motion will cause the head 20 to bob about the pivot bar l8 and the tail 32 will move up and down with the movement of the teeter board 23 as will the noise-making devices 34. In this way, considerable amusement and entertainment will be provided for a child. Obviously, as the child grows, or when the device is in use for larger children, the bolt 25 may be withdrawn and moved toward the rear of the horse so as to alter the fulcrum point of the teeter board 23 to compensate for the added weight when the child is seated adjacent the rear end of the horse and toward the upper end of the teeter board. In this way the device may be utilized over a long period of time with equal the board inclined to the horizontal, a head having a neck portion pivoted'between the side rails at the end of'the body part adjacent the lowermost end of the teeter board, means connecting the teeter board with he neck porion whereby, when the board is moved about its pivot, the head will hob, and a flexible cover simulating the appearance of a horse enshrouding the body part and connected at it forward end to the neck portion completely to conceal the pivot and connecting means.

3. A hobby horse which includes a body part comprising a pair of spaced parallel side rails which incline downwardly from the forward portion of the horse, a teeter board pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of the side rails, yielding means normally holding the forward end of the teeter board between the side rails and below the level of its rear end, a head having a neck portion pivoted between the side rails adjacent their forward ends, a link connecting the rear end of efliciency and without the necessity of changing 5 the springs 29 to increase the tension thereof.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes'in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention'as claimed.

Having thus describedth'einvention, what I claim is 1 A hobby horsewhich includes a body part comprising a pair of side rails inclining downwardly from the forward end of the body part, legs at opposite ends of the side rails, a brace adjacent the rear end of the body part for holding the upper ends of the rear'legs and the rear ends of the side rails in spaced relation, the said brace being attached to the rear legswholly below the lower edges of the side rails, a pivot bar extendingtransversely between the upper ends of the forward legs and the forward ends of the side rails, spacers on said pivotbar' serving to hold the forward ends of the side rails in spaced relation, a teeter board pivotally mounted between the side rails intermediate their ends, means yieldingly to urge the rear end of' theteeter board upwardly, a head pivotally mounted mid way between opposite ends of the pivot bar and l -a linkconnecting the forward end of the teeter board to the head whereby, when the teeter board moves about its pivot,-the head will bob.

2. A hobby horse which includes a body part comprisingb pair ofspaced,-para1lel side rails, a teeter board pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of the side rails, means attached to'the teeter board adjacent one end yieldingly to hold the neck portion with the forward end of the teeter board whereby, when the teeter board is moved about its pivot, the head will bob, and a flexible cover simulating the appearance of a horse enshrouding the body part and connected at its forward end to the neck portion completely to conceal the pivot and link.-

4. A hobby horse which includes a body part comprising a pair of side rails inclining downwardly from the forward end of the body part, legs at opposite ends of the side rails, a brace adjacent the rear end of the body part holding the upper ends of the rear legs and the rear ends of the side rails in spaced relation, the said brace being attached to the rear legs wholly below the lower edges of the sid rails, a pivot bar extending transversely between the upper ends of the forward legs and the forward ends of the side rails,-

spacers on said pivot bar serving to hold the forward ends of the side rails in spaced relation, a

teeter board pivotally mounted between the side rails intermediate their ends, means yieldingly to urge the rear end of the teeter board upwardly, a head having a neck porion pivotally mounted on the pivot bar midway between opposite ends thereof, a link connecting the forward end of the teeter board to the neck portion whereby when the teeter board moves about its pivot the head will bob, and a flexible cover simulating the appearance of a horse enshrouding the body part and connected at its forward end to the neck portion completely to conceal the pivot'and link.

5. A hobby horse which includes a body part comprising a pair of side rails inclining downwardly from the forward end of the body part, legs at opposite ends of the side rails, a brace adjacent the rear end of the body part for holding the upper'endsof the rear legs and the rear ends of the side rails in spaced relation, the said.

. brace being attached to the rear legs wholly below the lower edges of the side rails, a pivot bai' extendingtransversely'between the upper ends 01 the forward legs and the forward ends of the side rails, spacers on said pivot bar serving to hold the forward endsof the side rails in spaced relation, said side rails being provided, intermediate their, ends, with a plurality of longitudinallyspaced apertures, a teeter board, a

plurality of spaced sleeves on the under side of the teeter board which are adapted to align with the spaced apertures in'the side rails, a pivot bolt adapted to extend through oppositely disposed aligning apertures in the side rails and through aligning sleeves on the teeter board adlustably opposite ends of the pivot bar, a link connecting the neck portion with the forward end of the teeter board whereby when the board rocks about the pivot bolt the head will hob, and a flexible cover simulating a horse enshrouding the body part and connected to the neck portion com- 10 2318333 pletel'y to conceal the pivot and the link.

ROBERT H. LA FOLLE'I'IE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,562,700v Herring Nov. 24,1925 2,050,500 Osborn Aug. 11, 1936 2,107,448 Marlowe Feb. 8, 1938 Frish Oct. 15, 1940 

